On The Wings Of A Wish
by Very Cherry Appleberry
Summary: Madoka Kaname wakes up alone, lost, and confused, in possession of a soul gem that she doesn't remember making a wish for. With Homura Akemi, Sayaka Miki, and Kyoko Sakura getting sucked into this strange new world as well, things are bound to get interesting. Especially with a certain fellowship that is in the process of being formed.
1. Prologue

_Prologue - Confusion And Disconnect_

Madoka slowly blinked her eyes open. She found herself staring up at a beautiful blue sky, white, puffy clouds floating along peacefully high above her. Birds were chirping serenely and a warm, gentle breeze ruffled through the girl's pink bangs. Madoka felt rather content and she was tempted to close her eyes and drift back off to sleep. However, she was confused because she didn't know where she was and the long blades of grass beneath her tickled where they came in contact with her skin. Reluctantly, she sat up.

When Madoka moved, something rolled out of her hand and into the grass. It had a faint, glowing, pink gleam that made it stand out against the green blades of grass surrounding it. Already knowing what it was, Madoka reached out and picked it up.

The Soul Gem felt heavy and warm against the palm of her hand. Looking at it, Madoka felt sick and confused. This could only be her Soul Gem but she couldn't remember making a wish. What could she have wanted in exchange for her soul? When would she have done such a thing with Kyubey?

The last thing Madoka remembered before waking up was of running and desperately searching for her close friend, Sayaka Miki. Since discovering what Soul Gems really were and loosing Kyosuke to Hitomi, Sayaka had gone wild in fighting witches. She had changed. The last time Madoka had seen her friend, Sayaka had snapped at her and run off into the rain. Madoka had been, and still was, desperate to find her.

Had that been her wish? To find Sayaka? But Madoka was here alone, by herself, so that couldn't be right.

Madoka closed her hand tightly around her Soul Gem and it transformed into it's ring form, the weight settling unpleasantly on her finger. There was no going back now. She was a magical girl. That was bad, but if Sayaka was still missing, Madoka couldn't just ignore her friend. She had to find her.

With a gleam of determination in her eye, Madoka stood, dusting stray bits of grass from her clothes. Then she paused to take a look at her surroundings properly.

Madoka was standing in a small, sunlit forest glade. The trees all around were tall and thick, nothing like back home in Mitakihara. She began to feel intimidated at these unfamiliar surroundings. How could she get lost like this? Just where was she?

"Hello?" she called.

There was no answer, save for the chirping of birds. If she really strained her ears, though, Madoka thought she could make out the distant sound of running water.

'_Remember, Madoka,_' a memory of her mother's voice lectured in her mind. '_If you ever get lost in the wild, you need food, shelter and water. Shelter is the most important but after that you need a good source of clean water, or you won't survive. Stagnant water isn't safe but if you can find running water, like from a river or a stream, you should be able to drink from that._'

"Thank you, Mama," Madoka said to herself and then let out a long, slow breath.

She had to be calm. Panicking wasn't going to help the situation. If she could find that source of water, it would be a step in the right direction. And maybe, just maybe, that's where she would find Sayaka too. After all, it was possible that they were both lost here together.

Madoka began to walk, following the sound, but that was easier said than done. The young girl hadn't gone to many wild places like this and anywhere that she had gone, there had been paths to stay on or roads to follow. In this forest, Madoka was forced to navigate through thickets and shrubs that were all tangled together. In no time, her socks and legs were scratched up from branches and covered in burrs and her skirt was coming apart at the hem.

For all her troubles, the sound of water was drawing closer and closer. Quite suddenly, Madoka found herself stepping out of the woods and onto a riverbank. The water flowed swiftly before her and she was pleased at the sight. But her gaze drifted slowly upwards.

There were mountains looming nearby so she certainly couldn't have been anywhere near Mitakihara. The air was fresh and crisp in a way that Madoka wasn't sure she had experienced before. There was a waterfall a ways away and perched next to it, almost on top of it…was that a building?

Madoka could only make out a little from where she was but she gazed in wonder. There were roofs up there! She could see a few intricately carved archways and bridges, all of it intertwined and pretty. It was like something out of a storybook…but at that thought, the joy was immediately sucked out of her.

Like a storybook…like magical girls… It had to be too good to be true, didn't it? There was no way she could have stumbled across something that looked so wonderful and actually _was_ that wonderful. Or…could she have?

Madoka heard a sound to her right that was all at once familiar and foreign. She turned and her pink eyes widened when she saw a man standing only a few meters away, a bow drawn and an arrow aimed at her.

She gave a start and jumped back, clasping her hands together and holding them to her pounding heart. She hadn't even heard this man approach! And to take aim at her like that…

After blinking at him rapidly, frightened, she became aware that he was also dressed strangely. He was wearing something like armour but it was smooth and a pretty colour of green. The man was also tall with a slender build and long, chestnut hair that flowed out from beneath his helmet.

He said something to her but she missed it. She swallowed hard before trying to speak.

"E-eh?" Madoka whimpered.

The man had relaxed his stance a little, but he appeared wary of her still, saying, "Identify yourself, girl."

"Oh…um…" she fumbled, confused and afraid. "My name…is Madoka Kaname."

"Where do you hail from?"

"M-Mitakihara…" she stuttered. "I'm lost… I… Please. Please, don't shoot. I don't mean anyone any harm, I'm just… I don't know where I am and I…"

Madoka had to stop and swallow hard. She was beginning to tremble and her eyes stung. Something about the man's expression softened and he relaxed, placing his arrow back in his quiver.

"I don't intend you harm, girl, but these are dangerous times and you took me by surprise. You look human, yet I have never seen a human with hair of such a strange colour," he told her.

"You haven't?" Madoka said. "Oh… Where I'm from, it's normal. Um…ah…"

The man hesitated. "You may call me Lavanor. I dwell here in Rivendell."

"Riven… Is that…?" Madoka asked slowly, glancing up at the building on the waterfall's edge.

"Yes," Lavanor replied.

"Oh…well… I'm very sorry to have troubled you," Madoka said quickly, bowing deep and polite. She felt safer falling back on her customs from home. "I really didn't mean to intrude. I'm just…lost and… Oh! Have you seen another girl come by this way? She's about my age and she has short, blue hair and blue eyes and she's…well…she's normally really happy but she's sad, right now, I think…"

The man appeared to be studying her and Madoka shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I have not seen any other girls pass through this way," Lavanor finally replied. "Blue hair that's shorter than yours, you say?"

Madoka nodded mutely.

"Most peculiar. Is she wearing garb similar to your own as well?" he continued.

"Identical," Madoka confirmed, since it was the school uniform. "Are you…does that mean that you'll help me?"

Lavanor hesitated again. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

The question confused her. "Well, maybe a little, since I am lost…"

Lavanor was studying her again and now Madoka was beginning to blush.

The man finally said, "I think it would be best if you were to come to Rivendell with me. Master Elrond has many maps and he may let you look upon them to help you find your way. Come, child."

He turned and began to walk. Madoka let out a small, hopeful gasp and hurried to follow the man.

She may be a magical girl and she also may be lost and searching for her close friend, but at least she wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

><p>Homura Akemi's eyes snapped open at the smell of smoke and seconds later, she was on her feet.<p>

The first thing that consciously registered to her was that Madoka was nowhere in sight. That was wrong. She had been very close to Madoka, close enough to see Kyubey standing next to her and close enough to see a bright, pink light engulf her only friend.

Homura knew that she had failed.

But this was different. Instead of finding out what Madoka had wished for, she was standing in a thick, dark, wooded area with extremely tall trees all around. It was as if she had been immediately knocked out the moment Madoka had made her wish, and transported here, wherever 'here' was.

A cold sense of dread washed over Homura and she shivered involuntarily. Madoka…hadn't tried to wish _her_ away, had she? Homura realised that she had been cold to Madoka, but she hadn't done anything to try and hurt her friend. So that couldn't be it, could it?

She glanced down at the ring on her finger, her Soul Gem, and touched it gently.

No. It didn't matter what Madoka had wished. It didn't matter as long as Homura could find her again. If that was impossible, she could still reset time and do it over again.

Homura took a breath and then began to follow the scent of smoke. With a confident stride, she hopped over large tree roots and shrubs that were in her way. There was a weight to the air of this place that was stifling. It reminded Homura of a witch's maze but she chose to ignore the feeling. Soon enough she was able to see through the trees and finally came to a stop on the edge of the woods, staring at the scene before her with a frown.

There was a massively tall tower ahead of her. It was black with a strange ridge-like pattern that, again, reminded Homura of a witch. However, the oppressive atmosphere of the woods was different from this tower in a way Homura couldn't quite put into words. Part of it most likely had to do with the fires at the tower's base. It looked as if trees had once grown all around this place but they had been cut down and were used as fuel for whatever was happening at this tower's base.

Homura stood, frowning. She had a few options available to her and, inconveniently, there wasn't a clear answer as to what would benefit Madoka the most. With an irritated sigh, she flipped her long, dark hair and then walked down towards the tower.

When she saw the first of the creatures working near the tower's base, she briefly wondered if they were a witch's familiars. They were large and ugly with sallow skin, slanting, beady eyes, and large snarling mouths. But they looked more intelligent and real than any familiar that Homura had seen. When she approached, they took noticed of her and were somewhere between surprised, curious, and gleeful. They knashed their teeth at her, snarled and jeered. A very large one approached her, a spear in hand.

"What is this place?" Homura demanded before the creature could speak.

He laughed at her, a sound that was half made of grunts and wheezes. "What does it matter? Where'd you come from?"

Homura didn't have time for leering and banter. She narrowed her eyes. "Stand aside."

The creature let out a guffaw and was readying his spear just as Homura transformed into her magical girl form and froze time. She sneered at him a little, more in annoyance than disgust, and stepped around him.

She walked past a good number of the creatures. There were great cracks in the earth where there was construction and there were forges far down in the cracks below, flames frozen like the rest of time. There were what looked to be wolves about as well, great big ones that looked mean and rabid and stood taller than Homura. Some were as big as horses.

She finally reached the tower. The door was unlocked so she made her way inside.

If these things were witches or familiars, she would kill them. But this was unlike any witch's maze that she had encountered so with time frozen, she carried on. Homura didn't have the time to waste on trivialities.

It was a place that was very sleek but the atmosphere was even more tense here. There was no one here that she could see so she unfroze time. Distantly, she could hear the shrieks and snarls from outside, but she ignored them, heading for the nearest flight of stairs.

Homura's footsteps echoed loudly and crisply on the cold, shiny floor. There were plenty of stairs but there was no one here, other than the odd, lone creature which was easily avoided. Homura felt annoyed at that too. Why would there be such an empty tower in the middle of all that chaos below? Something or someone important had to be here.

Finally, she reached a floor with something that at least appeared to have some value. On a pedestal sat a large orb. It's dark surface shifted and shimmered oddly. Frowning, Homura took a few steps towards it. The Soul Gem on her hand began to throb strangely and she could sense something…dark.

"Who are you?"

The voice was old and deep, belonging to a man. Homura half turned and found a man approaching her from her left, garbed entirely in white. Or wait...no. His robes shimmered with other colours too. He looked something like a wizard, with his long white hair and beard. Homura didn't answer, cocking her head to the side slightly and watching him closely.

There was something strange about this man…

The man's dark eyes glittered curiously, but there was something predatory behind that gaze as well. "A mere child, a girl, should not have been able to enter the Tower of Orthanc."

"Is that what it's called?" Homura asked.

"Yes," the man replied slowly. "Have you come for the Palantir?"

Homura briefly wondered what he meant but then she decided that he must be referring to the orb on the pedestal. She ignored the question and instead answered him honestly.

"I am looking for Madoka Kaname," Homura said. "She is around my age and has pink hair. Have you seen her?"

"I fear not. Although…if she is as illusive as you, then perhaps not. What is you name, girl?"

"Homura Akemi," she told him.

"I am Saruman of Many Colours," he replied. "What brings you here so cleverly and unannounced?"

Homura blinked. "I am not here to be your friend or to explain myself. Pardon me."

Time froze again and Homura shook her head. Disappointment. This was a complete disappointment. She should never have gone to this tower. It was more trouble than it was worth.

Still...she should finish searching the tower. It would be a waste for her to overlook even a tiny detail and if she could reach the top, she would at least be able to survey the area. With a small sigh, she walked past the frozen Saruman. She paused briefly to frown at the Palantir which was still shifting with strange energy. But as she didn't fully understand it or it's purpose, she continued to the stairs.

This tower was fascinating, if not dull. There was little of actual value to Homura, although she found a number of weapons stored about. She took three bows and all the arrows that she saw, as well as a number of daggers and the few swords that were small or delicate enough for her to lift. If these were the weapons that were used here, Homura immediately understood that her modern guns and bombs would be very valuable and precious and that she shouldn't waste them unless absolutely necessary.

Homura made it to the top of the tower. The view was astonishing, though disappointing to the young magical girl. She could see plenty of forest and some mountains but this tower was the only civilised location as far as she could see.

There was another person here, not a strange creature but an elderly man cloaked in ragged grey robes. He looked worn and beaten. She hesitated but, hoping this man might know something, she allowed time to flow naturally again.

The old man gave a start and Homura knew that to his eyes, she had just appeared out of thin air. But his shock was unimportant to her or her goals.

"Who might you be?" the old man began slowly, looking startled and wary.

"Homura Akemi," she replied as the wind picked up, blowing her long, dark hair about behind her. "I'm lost. I'm looking for my friend Madoka Kaname. You haven't seen a girl about my age with pink hair, have you?"

His expression was changing to one more of confusion than suspicion, though he was trying to hide it. "I have not."

Homura let out a disappointed huff. "Where is the nearest village, town, or city from here?"

The old man hesitated. "If you can help me to leave this place, then I can show you the way, if you'd like."

Homura considered this. She didn't have time to help strangers. Especially when they might not prove to be useful or could intend to harm her. It was a risk and in this unfamiliar territory, it was one she wasn't willing to take.

"Thank you. I'll find my own way," she said and turned, freezing time once more.

Homura made her way back down the tower. She passed by Saruman once more who now had a look of shock and outrage on his face, most likely due to her sudden disappearance. She continued onward until she was out of the tower, past the giant wolves and the strange creatures. She made her way back into the forest. There, she unfroze time and paused for a break.

She summoned one of the Grief Seeds she had saved and cleansed her Soul Gem. Feeling a bit lighter, she also paused to take a drink from a nearby stream that ran clear and cool just in front of her. With that, she considered herself ready for whatever lay before her.

Though the Tower of Orthanc was disappointing, it didn't deter Homura. She would continue on until she found Madoka in this strange place. And if she couldn't find her, she would reset time and start over.

Heading onward, Homura began to walk through the forest. With her gaze focused ahead, she pressed forward, anxious to see an end to the dense vegetation before her.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1 - Enigma_

The Prancing Pony was packed and busy and Kyoko Sakura finally managed to leave things in Nob's capable hands as she slipped off for a break. Though, for her it wasn't exactly a break. She had other business to take care of, business that she liked to call 'research'.

Kyoko had been in Bree for over a month since she had woken up cold and hungry in a ditch. It was hardly an ideal situation but she immediately began to adapt. After searching her location for any sign of Sayaka or any other familiar people, she discovered that she was lost and very far from home, if she was even on the same planet. She had been briefly shocked and intimidated at the discovery but she didn't dwell on it longer than she could afford to. She focused quickly instead on learning everything she could and catering to her basic needs.

She had started by keeping a low profile while she stole and observed people. She learned a good deal about this world through that alone. This place was almost like a bizarre fairy tale land with dwarves and hobbits, and there were elves and dragons too, if the stories she heard had any truth to them. At first, Kyoko found it almost difficult to believe, but seeing the diversity of the Bree folk made the facts impossible to deny. In fact, some small part of her was both curious and thrilled.

Kyoko also procured herself some dresses, since it seemed it was more socially acceptable for women here to wear them. Fitting in was important. After being orphaned and loosing her home, Kyoko had learned at an early age about the perceptions and expectations of society so she was very quick to conform, at least in appearance. Once she thought she knew enough about this place and blended in properly, she decided that a roof over her head was the most important thing.

Barliman Butterbur had been a downright blessing. Kyoko had found the Prancing Pony by chance and after giving Butterbur an embellished story about being an orphan who was looking for work, he took her right in. He already had two hobbits employed, Nob and Bob, but Kyoko was welcome at the inn since there was more than enough work to be done, even with guests becoming fewer in number as time passed. Butterbur paid her a small wage to work at his inn, which was where she was able to further her research.

Kyoko wandered away from the busy common room and headed to where the guest rooms of the inn were. The hall she stood in was empty but she was still cautious. Carefully, she moved along until she came across the door the most recent guest. She paused briefly and then ducked down to peek beneath the bottom crack of the door. It looked dark inside and she couldn't see anyone's feet from the angle she was at. Good. The guest must be out then. Kyoko straightened and tried the doorknob for good measure before she pulled out her homemade lock pick and turned her back to the door.

She leaned her back against the wood, her hands working behind her, fiddling with her lock pick. Though the expression on her face was concentrated, she would glance down the empty hall whenever it sounded like someone might be coming her way. But finally, with a soft click, the lock was open. Now grinning, Kyoko put her lock pick away, stowing it it her apron pocket and smoothing out her skirts.

She gave a half-hearted knock on the door to be safe and then opened it up. It was dark inside the room, only a couple of candles on the table being lit, and there was no one in clear sight. So Kyoko stepped inside and looked the room over with a keen eye for anything noteworthy.

There was a bag near the foot of a long, narrow bed but it didn't look interesting. It was probably full of clothes because it wasn't all that big and it lay flopped over like it had been discarded. On the table, though, there were a small number of papers with something that looked like a coin purse and those certainly caught her interest. Treading lightly, she crossed over to the table. Kyoko began to reach out but then froze when a voice spoke out from behind her.

"Can I help you?"

Kyoko swallowed her surprised and turned, blinking. There was a man there standing in the shadows by the far corner of the room and she was amazed that he hadn't noticed him. He was covered almost completely by a dark green, travel stained cloak and his eyes were sharp and focused, gleaming in the dim light beneath his hood. Were she anyone else, Kyoko would have been intimidated.

"Pardon me," Kyoko began with a curtsy she had learned to mimic from the women in Bree. "I work here. I was just doing some cleaning."

"Cleaning?" he repeated. "It hardly looks that way."

"Well, I'm sorry for how it looks," Kyoko replied, biting back her sarcasm and doing her best to sound sincere. "I did knock. No one answered. I'm terribly sorry if I disturbed you."

She offered another curtsy, for good measure, even though it didn't quite translate the same as a bow did back home in Japan. It was nearly a reflex for her when she was trying to play innocent and polite.

"Is there anything that I can get for you, sir?" she offered. "I can have food and drink sent up here to your room, if you'd like."

"No, thank you," he said crisply. "Please leave."

Well, that was that then. With another little curtsy, she stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her, grimacing. Well, that could have gone a lot worse. Not that it had gone particularly well. In fact, most people accepted her little story, when they happened to come across her. She had a solid defence for her actions and Butterbur was always on her side.

Maps and money - those were Kyoko's current, primary goals. The lay of the land and the means to travel would do her good in this world. This failed attempt at theft left her hesitant now so Kyoko decided to head back to the common room. Her break wouldn't go on forever, regardless, and it never hurt to come back a little sooner than expected.

When Kyoko returned, she immersed herself back into her work. With Bree having a population partially composed of hobbits who loved both their food and their drink, nearly every plate or cup that she took back to the kitchen was cleaned off completely. It meant there was plenty of work to be done but it made Kyoko glad that these people weren't wasteful.

The crowds here were quite lively and they tended to entertain themselves. Now and again, Kyoko would be asked to tell a story or sing a song but she politely but firmly declined every time. She was pretty sure that the regulars thought of her as shy.

As she hurried about the place, she nearly ran into the man whose room she had tried to steal from. She apologised and went on her way but she watched him from the corner of her eye. She saw him approach Butterbur. Kyoko was pretty sure that they were talking about her from how they glanced at her now and again and from how Butterbur's face turned a rather deep red and he appeared to tell the man off. After that, the man went off to a corner to smoke his pipe and Butterbur called her over and they went aside to speak in private. But Kyoko was ready for whatever was to come.

"Miss Sakura," he began, looking a little distressed and Kyoko suppressed a sigh since he had a good idea of what he was about to say next. "Have you been cleaning on your breaks again?"

Kyoko bit her bottom lip and rocked back on her heels, trying to look shy and girlish. "Maybe…"

Butterbur let out an exasperated sigh. "Guests don't care to find strangers in their room, Miss Sakura. It's even worse that you're slipping off to do these things on your breaks. You need rest. And that Ranger, Strider, was all suspicious, thinking you were some kind of thief in his room."

"Oh…" she said, doing her best to sound disheartened. "Should I go and apologise? I tried to earlier but I don't mind saying sorry again. It can't hurt, right?"

She made a move to go but Butterbur stopped her.

"No, no. Just… Perhaps you take the rest of the evening to yourself," he told her. "It would be one more thing to worry about if you were overworked and tired the next morning. Nob, Bob and I will take care of anything else that's to be done."

Kyoko briefly glanced back at the crowd. It _was_ unusually busy today. She had been running around for quite a bit so she wouldn't mind getting to bed early. If anyone understood the value of rest, it was Kyoko. She looked back at him, hesitating.

"Will you and the others be alright?" she asked him, almost more concerned for the two hobbits than anything else.

"We can manage," he assured her with a sort of endearing smile. "Now, go on."

With a sigh Kyoko nodded and headed to her room, stepping around a group of four hobbits that had just entered the inn. She made her way to her room and decided that she would go to bed early. Hopefully tomorrow would be a better day.

* * *

><p>It was dark when Kyoko woke, feeling cold and frightened, her heart fluttering in her chest and her Soul Gem throbbing painfully around her finger.<p>

There was something very bad close by. It wasn't quite like a witch but whatever it was made her feel awful and terrified. In a brief moment of weakness, she got out of bed and peaked into the hall.

The hall was empty as it had been before but it was now dark and deathly quiet. If Kyoko had been any other girl, she most likely would have gone back to her room and hidden beneath the covers of her bed. But Kyoko was a magical girl. After letting out a breath and taking a moment to steel herself, she stepped out into the hall and tread along carefully, following the pulse of her Soul Gem.

She finally arrived at a door that made her Soul Gem pulse rapidly. The door itself was unremarkable and it was on the main floor, one of the hobbits rooms to be specific, but she could feel something dark and evil on the other side. There was just no other words to describe it. She let out a long, slow breath and then tried the doorknob gently. It was locked and the hair at the back of her neck stood up even at the tiny rattling sound the knob made.

No. Kyoko wasn't going to be afraid and she wasn't going to walk away from a locked door or waste her time with lock picks. She transformed into her magical girl form and a spear materialised in her hand, the weight familiar and comforting in her grip. Mustering up a grin for bravado's sake, she stabbed her spear near the doorframe where the knob was and pried the door open. It banged on the wall and she stared into the dark room, temporarily stunned.

There were several tall, armed, figures in the room, with the beds around them half torn up and the windows open wide. They were men with pale, white skin and cold, dead eyes. They wore grey robes and had silver helms on their heads and there was a dark veil or cloak covering them, though Kyoko could see through it somehow. The sight of them made Kyoko's whole body feel cold. She tightened her grip on her spear, her grin morphing into a snarl.

"What are you?" she growled low in her throat.

Whatever they were, they didn't seem interested in answering. Instead, they appeared surprised by her and one of them hissed out the word 'witch'. The one nearest to her, stepped towards her menacingly with it's blade.

Kyoko acted swiftly. Her spear met cold steel that screeched loudly as the weapons met. Kyoko tried to push the figure back but he stayed firm. Another approached and Kyoko leapt back, meeting his blade with her spear as well.

She hadn't known how skilled or terrible they would be and, honestly, it was difficult for her to tell even as she fought. It felt as though ice was pressing in on her heart and her breath came short. The flurry of blows that she exchanged between the different figures were rapid but her opponents were incredibly resilient and seemed impossible to push back. Finally, a wild swing of Kyoko's spear pierced through their defence, stabbing through the arm of one, and it shrieked terribly. At the same instant, the figure on her right pierced her side with it's blade.

If she had felt like ice before, this was so cold that it burned like fire, cutting through her. Kyoko let out a terrible scream, and pulled back, her blood spilling thickly across the floor as the blade came free. She lashed out at the figure but he was already out of reach. Her opponents fled out the windows that they had entered, slithering out like shadows.

Kyoko didn't know why they ran but she released her magical girl form, falling to her knees and gripping her wound. She was bleeding everywhere and it _hurt_! Kyoko had never felt such a sharp, fiery pain before. She felt like she could only clutch tightly at her wound and tremble and the implications of that stuck a genuine fear in her. Then she heard the sound of hurried feet and suddenly the man she had tried to steal from earlier in the evening was in the doorway. Was his name…Strider? She couldn't think straight enough to remember. His eyes widened at the sight of her.

"They went out the windows!" she snapped at him, though talking was a strain. "Go after them! You have a sword!"

"Girl!" he began, an urgency in his voice as he dropped down to her level and looked at her injury as best he could without touching her. "Why are you here?! You-!"

"After them!" she commanded and the force of it made her gasp and cringe. "I don't know what those things were, but they're evil! Someone has to stop them!"

More people were gathering at the door now. A pale Butterbur pushed into the room with Nob and Bob not far behind and they all looked stunned and appalled beyond words. There was also some hobbits that came after Strider and other patrons followed after that. There was screaming and shouting at the sight of blood but Kyoko didn't care. She was still bleeding and injured and even as the commotion began, she slid down lower, nearly lying on the ground now, breathing heavily.

Strider moved quickly then, getting over his shock if Kyoko had to guess. He grabbed her hand, pressing it more tightly to her injury. Kyoko hissed and then wheezed in pain as the man turned to Butterbur.

"Bring me something to bandage her with and send everyone but my company away!" he commanded.

"Strider, is she…? Will she…? Oh, Miss Sakura…" the innkeeper tried to speak, voice wavering.

"Hurry! She will soon be beyond any help we can give!" Strider ordered.

That seemed to get Butterbur into the right mindset. There was a fresh commotion now but Kyoko barely noticed it, her vision swimming. She felt her clothes being cut, most likely so that Strider could get a better look at her wound. She rolled her head, trying to focus and see and, using was force she could muster, she managed to pull her own hand (as well as Striders) away so that she could check her injury. However, Strider was quick to force both their hands back down and all Kyoko managed to see was a fresh wave of blood.

She howled in pain, curling in on herself. She wanted to lash out at something and fuss but restrained herself. This pain…it wasn't right. She had never felt anything like this before. It wasn't like getting hurt by a witch or another magical girl, it was so much worse. Why did it hurt so much?

People were talking rapidly but she couldn't make anything out. Kyoko's head was beginning to feel light and dizzy. She realised quickly that she wouldn't last much longer this way. She was going to faint, she was sure. She grabbed at the front of Strider's clothes and saw her ring, her Soul Gem, on her finger. The thought of it consumed her and she clung to Strider desperately.

"…ring…" she tried to say, though it was near impossible for her to speak now. "…don't take…I'll die…please..."

"Stay still. Stay calm," Strider tried to assure her in a firm voice.

"…please…" she finally mumbled before going limp, unconscious to the world around her.


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2 - Fragmented Understanding_

Aragorn had not anticipated having to save a small, red haired child in the middle of the night. Even now, he only had a partial idea as to what had happened and the commotion around him made everything even more of a confusing mess than it should have been. The girl was bleeding everywhere and all he could do at first was shout commands and apply pressure to her wound. Once he had what he needed brought to him, he set to work.

He was thankful that the girl had fallen unconscious because her cries were something terrible and though her last mumbles of a ring were very curious, there was no time to consider it. Butterbur was beside himself and went from running to do what Aragorn told him to, to breaking down and sobbing. Finally, Aragorn asked a very pale Nob to take the innkeeper away and told Bob to hold back any curious guests staying at the inn so that he could work in peace.

It was a painstaking task, tending to the girl's wound. Being sure he was the only one here capable of the task, he took to it as best he could with what he had. He finally managed to bind up the gash in her side and was pleased to find that after all that, she was still breathing. Her pulse was weak but it was present. It was then that he called again for Butterbur.

"She should be watched for the remainder of the night," Aragorn advised him. "And her clothes will need to be changed. Everything is soaked in blood. After that..."

Butterbur looked at him anxiously and Aragorn hesitated. If she had been stabbed by one of the nine, as he suspected, the girl would likely die even with the treatment that he had given her. Of course, if they took her with them to Rivendell... But that would be another hindrance on the road. Aragorn and his hobbit companions needed to fly to Rivendell with all speed before the Nazgûl could do them further harm or capture Frodo and the ring. Also, there was a chance the girl wouldn't survive the journey to begin with, making the entire effort a waste.

But could Aragorn leave a child to die when there was even a small chance of saving her?

"She must come with us," Aragorn decided. "Here she will not heal and will die. Where we go, she may find healing beyond my skill."

Butterbur broke into fresh sobs. "Is there no other way? Miss Sakura..."

"...will surely die here if she stays," Aragorn finished for him firmly. "And it will be a terrible death."

Butterbur nodded in reluctant understanding. "Then...for now...can we move her to another room, Strider? She should be comfortable."

Aragorn nodded. "I will leave her in your care. I have done for her what I can."

Butterbur called Nob and they saw to the girl, moving her to another room with all the care in the world. Aragorn watched them go, taking note of her name as the two exchanged it, Kyoko Sakura. With the room now empty, Aragorn only paused briefly before looking about the place to learn what he could of what had happened. A quick study of the place alone told Aragorn a fascinating story.

First, there was the door. Something sharp that was too large to be a sword and too small to be an ax had been used to pry the door open. Aragorn remembered that Nob had locked this door, and had told them that he had set the room in such a way that it appeared to be occupied by four hobbits. Of course, it was fortunate that they had done so, having Frodo and his party stay with Aragorn that night, considering that the beds in this room had been slashed to ribbons.

The windows were open so the Ringwraiths likely came in that way. The door must have been pried open by someone else. The only likely suspect was, of course, Kyoko Sakura. But that made very little sense.

Of course, very little about the situation did make sense. Aragorn had stirred at the sound of a struggle. A struggle suggested that there had been a fight. One of the Ringwraiths and Kyoko had screamed, from the sound of it, but by the time he arrived, only Kyoko remained, bleeding out on the floor.

If Kyoko alone had pried open the door and entered the room, by all rights she should have been dead before a scream could have left her lips. There should have been no struggle for a child without a weapon. It should have ended swiftly and silently, with nothing more than a cold corpse to tell the tale, come dawn. But instead, Kyoko had only suffered a deadly wound and even after that, had struggled to try and get someone to pursue the her attackers.

Aragorn could only conclude that something strange had to have happened in this room. Perhaps someone else had had arrived and vanished as the Ringwraiths escaped...or it could be that Kyoko herself held some kind of great power that could threaten some of the foulest beings from Mordor.

The last, an admittedly uncomfortable thought, made Aragorn stop and consider the possibility. He had heard tales once or twice, long ago, of human girls who acquired magic of some kind. It was a tale, a rumour, or so Aragorn assumed as there was such little information regarding the matter and little to no evidence. At the time he had dismissed such talk, but now he couldn't help but wonder.

And then there was that ring the girl had mentioned… It seemed impossible for Kyoko Sakura to possess a ring of power, but Aragorn considered the possibility regardless. She had mentioned something about a ring, and while she could be speaking about Frodo's ring (which would be something to be very concerned about), Kyoko had also been wearing a ring herself. Aragorn had taken note of it.

"Strider?"

The voice of Frodo Baggings startled him from his thoughts. He turned and found the hobbit standing by the door, trying to not look directly at the ravaged room Aragorn was standing in. Beside him stood Sam and in the hall stood Merry and Pippin.

"Yes?" Aragorn replied.

"What...what happened here?" Frodo asked. "Was it...?"

"The dark riders that seek you? Yes. But let us not speak of it here," Aragorn replied. "You should return to the other room and rest while you can. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow and a sixth member will be joining our party."

"Sixth?" asked Sam. "Who else could be joining us?"

"Kyoko Sakura, the girl who was injured here. Unless she is taken to Rivendell, she will die of her injury. She is beyond my help."

Sam looked like he nearly wanted to argue but clearly he couldn't leave a girl to die either. He frowned, crossing his arms, looking concerned.

"How are we to sleep with all that's happened," Merry grumbled. "Those…those riders will come after us again, surely."

"But they will not likely come again tonight. They no longer know for certain which room you are in and everyone will be on guard now. They will wait for a better time, I am sure," Aragorn told them.

The hobbits' concerns weren't easily dismissed. They were tense and wary after what had happened. Aragorn finally told them to sort through their things and prepare to leave. If they couldn't rest, they could at least have a very early start to their journey. While they agreed to prepare what they needed, Aragorn went to check on Kyoko.

By now, she was bandaged in her room, lying in bed. Butterbur insisted that he stay by her side all the while and he was a pitiful sight to see, with his face all red and splotchy from his tears. He sniffled quite a bit but he had no objection to Aragorn's presence.

He came to examine her ring. It was a thick, engraved silver band with a crimson gem that rested on her left middle finger. It looked pretty, like it might be a fancy bauble with little more than monetary value. However, Aragorn noticed at the end of the finger that held her ring, on her nail was a small, red, oval mark.

Aragorn took her hand gently to examine it a little more closely and found that there were runes of some sort, on the bottom side of the ring, though he could not read them. He frowned, unsure as to what this ring meant and why she had been trying to protect it with her last breath before loosing consciousness, if this was indeed the ring she had been referring to. Aragorn considered taking it briefly but decided that would be unwise, since he knew nothing of what it was or what it could be capable of.

He placed her hand gently back down. Aragorn decided that he would ask later, perhaps if and when they arrived in Rivendell. He was prepared to get up and return to the hobbits, now that he had seen that Kyoko was still alive and had seen her ring. But then she made a faint sound, fingers twitching.

Butterbur nearly leapt out of his seat when her eyes opened a crack, they were unfocused and hazy but the girl was clearly fighting for consiousness.

"Did you...get them...?" she forced out weakly.

It took Aragorn a moment to realise that she was talking to him about the Ringwraiths.

"No," he answered her. "They fled into the night. They were too dangerous and you were too injured for anyone to pursue such foul beings in the dark."

"They...were evil," she forced out. "They..."

"There's no need for you to talk," Butterbur assured her. "Rest, Miss Sakura. Rest. Please."

"No," she told him stubbornly. "Those...men. Their eyes were so...cold. They could...hurt...someone. That sword...never felt pain...like that before. Be careful..."

"Men? Cold eyes?" Aragorn repeated. "Were they not completely cloaked in black?"

Kyoko closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "I could...see through the cloak. They wore...grey robes...silver helms..."

With a few more murmurs, she was unconscious again.

"Men did this?" Butterbur said to Aragorn, looking at him with an expression mixed between confusion and anger.

However, Aragorn was puzzling out this new information. Somehow, this girl had seen the Ringwraiths as they truly were. At least, that was how it sounded from her broken description. There was clearly some power at work with her that went beyond Aragorn's knowledge.

"Mortal men did not harm Miss Sakura," Aragorn told Butterbur. "But that is all I can say with any certainty."

Butterbur swallowed a sob. "She's a good girl, Strider. She came to me with nothing, not a home nor a family and asked to work for me. She wanted to be paid in food over money, if you can imagine that. I wouldn't want any harm to befall her. If you can take her somewhere safe and have her healed, I'd…I'd like you to take her as soon as possible."

"I will do just that," Aragorn agreed. "But first, I will see how the hobbits are coming along."

He left to check on the hobbits. They had most of their things packed and they were all huddled together and anxious. Aragorn glanced out the window and saw that the sky was already turning a dull grey. It would be morning soon. And they still had plenty to do.


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 - Weathertop_

Kyoko felt like she was falling in and out of consciousness for a long time before she was finally able to stay awake. By this time, a lot had happened, and they were glad to see her with her eyes open because they were trying to figure out a way to safely mount her on the back of a horse.

"Do I really have to go?" she protested to Butterbur weakly with pleading eyes.

Butterbur, who had tears streaming down his face, nodded. "It's the only way. But please come back as soon as you're able."

She half-smiled at him. "Okay."

It wasn't that she objected to travelling. She did want to see more of this world and try to find more familiar faces. But leaving Bree was not only disapointing but also extreemly difficult. Leaving with complete strangers made it even worse.

Kyoko was told left and right that she was dying. She was sure this wasn't true. Her Soul Gem was already working hard to heal her. She was feeling much better even now, though she doubted she would be able to walk or even talk for extended periods at a time. Keeping her eyes open was still a challenge. However, the stabbing, burning pain in her side hurt much less than it had when she'd been stabbed.

Nob and Bob helped her up on the horse. It was rather small but it was stout. Butterbur had bought it just for her, saying that it made up for the wages she would miss. Strider and the hobbits were taking a pony with them too, a small underfed thing that was intended for their baggage.

Kyoko had her doubts about travelling with these strangers. The hobbits all seemed very skittish and wary and she had caught Strider giving her these indescribable looks. Still...she had to act like a normal human being. And if a normal human would die from that sword wound without further treatment, she should at least play along without outright contradicting anyone. Besides that, if someone could cure it or even make her feel a bit better, she would be very, extreemly grateful to them.

Finally, it came time to say farewell. Bob said a teary eyed goodbye as he tied the bag that held her few possessions to the back of her horse. Butterbur could barely be understood through his sobs. Then, with not time to waste, their company was off on the road.

Strider had chosen to lead Kyoko's mount and having nothing to say to him or the hobbits, she sat slumped in her saddle with her eyes closed instead, feeling worn and beaten. She had checked her Soul Gem and been displeased to find that it had darkened quite a bit after the fight from the other night. She would need to find a witch sooner or later and pray that it would drop a Grief Seed upon defeat.

Considering that she had yet to see or sense any witches here, Kyoko was sure that was going to be a big problem.

* * *

><p>The journey was long and Kyoko wasn't talkative. But she did listen to the hobbits.<p>

They complained and sang and told each other stories so they were at least interesting to listen to. Occassionally, Strider would try to talk to Kyoko but she just mumbled replies or feigned sleep. She didn't trust him or the critical stares he gave her. The hobbits, she knew, didn't trust her, but that was fine. Strider was trying to puzzle her out. That was not okay with her.

Their first day of travel, Strider asked her the question that Kyoko knew would come up sooner or later.

"What happened the other night at the inn when you were attacked?"

Kyoko blinked her eyes open and turned to look at the man. "What?"

"You were attacked," Strider repeated. "What happened?"

"Oh…" Kyoko said slowly, trying to decide on an answer. It was better not to lie but she had no intention of telling Strider (and the hobbits who had all fallen silent, anticipating her response) that she was a magical girl. "I heard a sound. I went to take a look. There were strangely dressed men in the room with swords. They attacked me, I screamed, and they ran. Then you came in."

Strider's expression was about as impassive as Homura's and Kyoko knew what it meant. Strider knew that she wasn't telling the complete story. She expected him to challenge her on the subject but instead it was Pippin who spoke.

"Men?" he repeated. "Were they wearing long black cloaks and sniffing about?"

Kyoko frowned at that description but decided to be evasive. "Dunno. It was dark - middle of the night, you know."

Pippin frowned. "You could have heard the sniffing, at least. You said you heard a sound."

"It was more like…" Kyoko began and then remembered the one word the figures had uttered, and she shivered, "…hissing."

The hobbits all looked uncomfortable, like they knew exactly what she meant. Strider was still giving her that stare so Kyoko refused to meet his eye stubbornly. Again, she expected him to make some comment, even though she was telling the truth, but it was another one of the hobbits that spoke next.

"The door…the door was locked," Frodo said unexpectedly. "The riders came through the window. You… How did you enter the room, Miss Sakura?"

Oh. That. Kyoko chose to be evasive again.

"I don't know. It's all a blur," she replied, half-mumbling. "I was scared. I just remember being stabbed and then Strider was there. Actually…you got there really fast, Strider."

She glanced at him briefly. The man had arrived before anyone else. He had even beaten Butterbur to spot. Kyoko didn't think that Aragorn had anything to do with those creepy intruders, but she was sure she couldn't trust him.

"I came with all speed the very moment I heard a clamour," Strider told her. "It was very fortunate that I did, or you may have died on the spot, Miss Sakura."

Kyoko hesitated. "…Thanks."

There was an awkward lapse after that but after a time the hobbits picked up a fresh topic of conversation and moved on. Strider, however, still had an eye on Kyoko. It made her uncomfortable.

The road was long and difficult which was both a blessing and a curse. Strider didn't want them taking the roads so they were forced through the Midgewater Marshes. While Kyoko hated the annoying bugs that clouded the air, days had already gone by and her Soul Gem was able to heal her more. The wound in her side was still healing at an abnormally slow pace but Kyoko could feel her strength returning to her gradually. That was a good sign, even though her darkened Soul Gem was still worrying her.

Kyoko could swear that she felt the men from before now and again but it was faint and distant. She was learning to pinpoint the sensation. It was a cold, bleak, empty feeling and whenever she felt it, she would scan the area intently. But usually her gaze would meet Strider's and she would give up her visual search.

On the fourth night of their travels, Kyoko also discovered a new sensation. She was struggling to sleep in their bleak little camp when a light flickered in the sky to East. At almost the same time, a strange, prickling feeling shot straight through her and she sat up where she had been lying down, startled. Frodo and Aragorn, who were still awake, turned to look at her, but she kept her gaze fixed in the distance.

"What's that light?" she asked.

"We do not know," Strider replied.

Kyoko pressed her lips together. Since there wasn't much she could do about anything, she lay back down, but kept her gaze fixed off in the distance. She could feel something out there, even from this distance. She couldn't be sure what it was but it felt completely different from those creepy men that had attacked the Prancing Pony. It was almost…warm.

Finally, they reached Weathertop. Kyoko was beginning to feel halfway decent and when they stopped came to a stop on the Western flank where they found a sheltered hollow. She was by no means ready for a marathon, but she could at least stand now and she was confident she could walk and maybe run, if she had to. She stumbled once she'd been helped down from the horse by Strider and taking a few steps, she plopped herself down on the ground.

"You're healing very quickly," he noted. "I know great men who would be unable to move at all, with such a wound as yours."

Kyoko glanced up at him. "I'm very resilient."

Strider was silent but she felt as though the look he was giving her was critical and challenging.

"Wait here," Strider finally told the group. "I will go with Frodo and Merry and we will see what is to be seen here."

Kyoko nodded and watched him leave with the two hobbits. Sam and Pippin stayed here with her. Sighing, she got a bit more comfortable where she was sitting as she watched the hobbits move about.

Even though she sat there resting, she began to sense something that she couldn't ignore. It began with a faint pulse in her Soul Gem and then her side began to ache. She sat up straighter and more alert and then stood up altogher.

"What are you doing?!" Sam asked her, surprised. "You aren't well! You should-!"

"I'll be back," she said and hurried up after where Strider and the others had gone, even as the other two hobbits called out to her.

An unpleasantly familiar chill settled over her. She tried to hurry but she still struggled. She was afraid she would be crawling before the end of it but somehow she made it to the top, out of breath and holding her side. The sight of her gave Merry a start and Strider wheeled around to look at her.

"They're back," she told them urgently. "I can feel them. They're here."

With that she let herself collapse to her knees, panting from the strain. She could hear Frodo tell Strider to look at something and suddenly, they were beside her, pressing her down and lying on the ground with her. Kyoko grunted at the pain in her side but other than that stayed quiet.

Then she saw where they were looking. Out in the distance, Kyoko could see black dots on the road. She shuddered and her ring throbbed painfully. It was them. She knew it.

"You can sense the Ringwraiths?" Strider asked her and she nodded.

"You mean those men? They're cold. Like ice," she told him. "You should have gone after them at the Prancing Pony, when you had the chance."

"I could not have bested them," Strider replied.

Finally, they made their way back back to their camp. Sam and Pippin were distressed about Kyoko running off but they had spent their time well and discovered a place where rangers had left behind firewood.

As long as they stayed there, Kyoko lost interest in her other companions entirely. Her focus was now on the Ringwraiths, which she could feel. She felt like they were circling them and the constant pressure of having them nearby was like a torture. She wanted to hunt them down but she was very aware of how vulnerable she was now.

Finally, they were closing in. To Kyoko, it was a blessing and a curse. As Aragorn finished telling the hobbits the tale of Tínuviel, Kyoko stood. The others were confused at first, but even they seemed to be able to sense that something wasn't quite right. They stood as well.

"They're here," Kyoko told them.

Aragorn began giving them instructions but Kyoko wasn't listening. Her head was turning left and right, on the alert for figures robed in grey with silver helms on their head. In the end, she wasn't disapointed. Over the lip of the dell, they came slowly, blades drawn. They were impossing and their eyes just as cold as Kyoko remembered. This time, the one in the lead wore a crown.

She tensed, a growl springing from her throat. They seemed to shift their gaze from Frodo and then to her and she understood clearly what it was they wanted. And she didn't want to let them have it.

Without even thinking, she let her transformation take her and summoned her red, linked barrier around herself and her other travelling companions. The advancing figures hesitated but not for long.

The crowned one before her hissed out, "Give us Baggins, witch. We want Baggings."

The voice made her shudder as a chill passed through her. But she swallowed hard, summoning a spear in her hands and bracing herself.

"You want him?" Kyoko snarled. "You'll have to go through me first."

"Miss Sakura, this is folly!" Strider began but he didn't approach her or otherwise hinder her so she ignored him.

The Ringwraiths circled the barrier and one of them struck it with a sword on her left. Kyoko's breath caught as she almost lost the barrier after such a simple blow.

She hadn't been able to tell how strong these guys before, but she had a much better idea now. They were strong. Abnormally strong. This wasn't a fight she was likely to win, especially not while she was injured and with her Soul Gem darkening. They all had to get out of here, now.

"Give us Baggins, and you will be spared," the leader hissed.

Briefly, Kyoko was tempted. She didn't know these people. They didn't mean anything to her. Why was she fighting for them in the first place? This wasn't even a fight she could win.

But…Kyoko know she couldn't even begin to hope that she would be spared anything. She had stood her ground so far so why changer her mind now?

"No," she growled out firmly.

A second blow knocked out her barrier. Kyoko winced, feeling her magic fail her. She whipped her spear around and lashed out at the lead Ringwraith. Her attack was easily deflected by his blade.

The ones on the left and the right were approaching and Kyoko felt like she was sinking in ice, despite the fire burning behind her. Aragorn was calling something out. The figure on the left stepped forward first and so Kyoko turned to meet him first. His blade met her spear but at the blow, Kyoko's spear disconnected and twisted around his blade. She jerked back and his sword flew off into the dark. But the one behind her was approaching and she turned almost too late to block his attack. Her arms almost gave way but then Aragorn was before her with a torch and the Ringwraith had slipped out of reach.

It was too much. Kyoko's breath was coming short and she felt surrounded by the Ringwraiths. Suddenly, her magical girl form dissipated. Whether it was from exhaustion or the Ringwraiths, she wasn't entirely sure. The next thing she knew, the crowned back was in front of her. She was backhanded and fell to the ground, seeing stars.

Briefly, Kyoko wondered if she was going to die. There was a nervous shudder inside of her and she rolled, getting on her knees, trying to clear her vision. There was shouting from the company around her. And then...

Then the cold began to flee. The Ringwraiths were leaving.

Kyoko struggle to stand. There was still shouting from the hobbits but but the dander was gone. It all happened so quickly that she didn't know what exactly had happened. By the time, she had stumbled over, collapsing to her knees again, the hobbits were fussing over Frodo who lay still, face down on the ground.

"Wh-what...?" she struggled to ask but then Strider was beside her.

"Stay down. Rest," he commanded. "Frodo has been injured. I will return."

Kyoko nodded and watched him go before dropping down to the ground completely. She was so drained and tired that there was nothing else she could do for now. She closed her eyes and let out a long breath.


End file.
